Taoiseach praises plans for food education centre in Waterford

Grow HQ will be on three-acre site in Ardkeen

Taoiseach Enda Kenny: said at the unveiling of plans for a food education centre in Waterford that our eating behaviours would store up problems for decades to come. Photograph: Alan Betson

The savings to taxpayers would be “absolutely phenomenal” if we could educate people to eat healthily and exercise more, Taoiseach Enda Kenny said at the unveiling of plans for a food education centre in Waterford on Saturday.

Mr Kenny said our eating behaviours would store up problems for decades to come. “When you go to a schoolyard and talk to the children, you don’t have to be an expert to understand that some are on the wrong path and it’s going to lead to chronic problems in later years.”

The Grow HQ food education centre, to be located in Ardkeen, is an initiative of the Grow it Yourself organisation. Building is expected to begin next year and it is due to open in spring 2015.